Best Trainz Simulator for 9 yr old homeschooling?

copskay

New member
This is my first post - I am homeschooling my soon to be 9 yr old and would like to use a simulator to build a layout. We purchased Trainz Sim 12 and would like to know if that would be the best one. I am also going to be purchasing one for myself so that we can build together. I know Trainz Sim 12 has multiplayer, but if we are going to be using this for the long haul, I want to make sure we get the best one. I am not as computer literate as I used to be, but I think I can figure things out pretty good! :D


Can anyone give me some thoughts on this? Note that we both will be using PC's. Thank you so much!!
 
Thanks so much - my only problem is, I keep looking at the Trainz A New Era....which I just figured out is TANE. Do you know the major difference between the two? Or a link to research it?
 
T:ANE has better graphics, but the bugs haven't been fully worked out. I'd recommend TS2010, to minimize hassle, and it comes with a huge amount of content pre-installed. TS12 is ok too, and has the advantage of being actively supported (at least until next September), but includes a lot less in the package.
 
The reasons why I would not recommend TRS2006 Trainz Railwayz Full Version, Build 3337 trainz-build 2.6, by Merscom are:

You would have to buy a virgin unregistered disc on EBay
The graphics are not as good as 09, 10, 12
It has been unsupported for several years now
You would need 1 on 1 help backdating almost all assets config files
You would need Skype for me to explain things, and how to do things

But the ease of building routes is amazingly simple, and it has none of the complexity of 09, 10, 12, and it plays on low end PC's ... even a child can run TRS2006, with no problems
 
T:ANE has better graphics, but the bugs haven't been fully worked out. I'd recommend TS2010, to minimize hassle, and it comes with a huge amount of content pre-installed. TS12 is ok too, and has the advantage of being actively supported (at least until next September), but includes a lot less in the package.
I concur. I know a few people that own T:ANE, and it has a few bugs (to say the least). TS12 has a download station to where you can DL more things, but it's not worth it unless you have an FCT which makes the downloads ridiculously faster. If you get TS12, I would recommend all the patches until SP1HF1. The last good build was 49922. You can find out the biuld in the bottom right hand corner of the start up menu with all the "Start, content, options, forums, etc" buttons with a steam engine in the backround. As for 2010, personally, I've had the least issues with it. It runs AOK, and I have yet to actually see it do validation or crash. They all have multiplayer, but TANE's doesn't work, TS12's is way too laggy to even enjoy anymore, and TS2010's, I'm not even sure if they still have it working. It did undergo testing for multiplayer from what I understand, and it was the lab rat for TS12.
 
Thank you all so much for your replies. I guess my biggest concern with the TS2012 is the lag in multiplayer. Lag drives me nuts! Maybe I will get the TS1010. My son just downloaded TS2012 last week, so I'm assuming it included all the patches, correct? As for FCT...had to look that one up! I'm still learning Windows 8 and trying to figure out where everything is. I haven't even looked at the downloads and such and still figuring out first class tickets and what they are. Any tips for beginners or a place for a good overview? thanks again....and I'm sorry for all the silly questions!
 
Thank you all so much for your replies. I guess my biggest concern with the TS2012 is the lag in multiplayer. Lag drives me nuts! Maybe I will get the TS1010. My son just downloaded TS2012 last week, so I'm assuming it included all the patches, correct? As for FCT...had to look that one up! I'm still learning Windows 8 and trying to figure out where everything is. I haven't even looked at the downloads and such and still figuring out first class tickets and what they are. Any tips for beginners or a place for a good overview? thanks again....and I'm sorry for all the silly questions!

The First Class Ticket, aka the FCT, is paid access to a faster download network which also has unlimited downloads from what is called the Download Station or DLS. The free access has a very slow connection that is also busy making connecting difficult because of the number of people and its lower priority, and the bigger disadvantage is it only allows 100MB of data, which gets eaten up very quickly with updates and new route downloads. The cost of the FCT is about $24.00 AUD per year, or about $20 USD), and is well worth the investment. I can't think of anything you can buy these days that offers this much entertainment for $2.00 per month not counting the bigger part of the whole package.

If you have purchased the current version of TS12, it is already up-to-date to Build 61388.

TS12 was never a top performer, though it is very stable and very consistent. T:ANE performs much better, and is currently going through more testing and patches. There is presently a team working on Service Pack 1 which will also include some newer features, however, the aim is also for stability, which plagues many of us still. This is the breaks for using a new product. :)

John
 
This is my first post - I am homeschooling my soon to be 9 yr old and would like to use a simulator to build a layout. We purchased Trainz Sim 12 and would like to know if that would be the best one. I am also going to be purchasing one for myself so that we can build together. I know Trainz Sim 12 has multiplayer, but if we are going to be using this for the long haul, I want to make sure we get the best one. I am not as computer literate as I used to be, but I think I can figure things out pretty good! :D


Can anyone give me some thoughts on this? Note that we both will be using PC's. Thank you so much!!

In my opinion a lot depends on your hardware. If you have a GTX 970 or GTX 980 go TANE even with the bugs, lessor hardware go TS12. There is a lot of content for both a first class ticket helps on download speed and you can transfer content from one PC to the other.

Trainzproroutes and other sites have free download sections for content if the DLS is too slow for you but I understand multiplayer content must be hosted on the DLS.

Cheerio John
 
Thank you so much for the explanation on First Class Ticket....(dah...FCT) And yes, $20/yr is amazingly cheap for sure. I'm guessing I will go ahead and get the TS12 and play around on that one with my son for awhile. Once T:ANE is up for a while longer we will jump in to that one. Probably another stupid question - can you convert worlds (layouts) from one platform to another? I'm assuming not, or if you could, I would think it would be more trouble than it's worth. Again - thank you so much. BTW - I used to work for Kalmbach Publishing (12 yrs), so at least I know a little about Trains!
 
Thank you so much for the explanation on First Class Ticket....(dah...FCT) And yes, $20/yr is amazingly cheap for sure. I'm guessing I will go ahead and get the TS12 and play around on that one with my son for awhile. Once T:ANE is up for a while longer we will jump in to that one. Probably another stupid question - can you convert worlds (layouts) from one platform to another? I'm assuming not, or if you could, I would think it would be more trouble than it's worth. Again - thank you so much. BTW - I used to work for Kalmbach Publishing (12 yrs), so at least I know a little about Trains!

In theory anything that works in TS12 can be imported to TANE, and anything from an earlier version can be used in TS12 but you may need to correct a few minor errors.

You can make content as well using something such as Blender or recolour / reskin existing items with something like GIMP both are free.

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz might be worth a read.

Cheerio John
 
The First Class Ticket, aka the FCT, is paid access to a faster download network which also has unlimited downloads from what is called the Download Station or DLS. The free access has a very slow connection that is also busy making connecting difficult because of the number of people and its lower priority, and the bigger disadvantage is it only allows 100MB of data, which gets eaten up very quickly with updates and new route downloads. The cost of the FCT is about $24.00 AUD per year, or about $20 USD), and is well worth the investment. I can't think of anything you can buy these days that offers this much entertainment for $2.00 per month not counting the bigger part of the whole package.John

A 1 year FCT is usually $34.99 Aus dollars, but it is on sale now $26.24, for a very limited time ... (they were once 24.99, and were once $ 19.99 on sale) ... but a recent permanent price increase of $ 9.00 Aus dollars took place last month
 
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Okay - I'm sorry, but I have what is probably a very stupid question...so please accept my apologies. Am I correct in believing that the multiplayer allows you to build layouts together? From what I have been reading, it sounds like you host a session with a password. I just want to be able to build a layout with my son. Make sense? I'm hoping Trainz has this capability.

Thanks again!
 
Okay - I'm sorry, but I have what is probably a very stupid question...so please accept my apologies. Am I correct in believing that the multiplayer allows you to build layouts together? From what I have been reading, it sounds like you host a session with a password. I just want to be able to build a layout with my son. Make sense? I'm hoping Trainz has this capability.

Thanks again!

You kind of have this mixed up... Multiplayer means you can run the routes together as in he drives a train and you drive a different train on the same route. There are specific conditions relating to this. Both versions of the route have to have non-modified content, meaning you can't go in and "fix" something and expect your son to be able to run the same route with the unmodified asset. Other people can explain this a bit better. It's best that you run multiplayer with built-in routes as they are guaranteed to have the same content at the same level. Again, others that use this can give better answers.

As far as working on routes together, you can build a route on your machine and then have him install a version on his machine that you save to an content file (.cdp) and have him install it on his machine. When he's done editing, he does the same with you. Unfortunately, what you were thinking about isn't possible at this time and we've discussed this in detail in the forums somewhere.

What you can also do is setup iPortals as they are called. This means you can run one route and "send" him a train that he can then continue to run on his route. He can even load up products and send it back to you via an iPortal.

I know this is a bit much to consume and hopefully digest, but the program is quite complex even for a game.

John
 
Yep - that's what I think I'm finally figuring out. I was just reading a post dated 2012 about it. I may have to re-think all of this. I understand what you mean about the .cdp files. So realistically, we are not able to work on the same route at the same time. We have been working together on Minecraft worlds, so that's what I was thinking this could be like. (if you're familiar with the whole "minecraft" craze....)

Thanks again! :)
 
One thing you will need is 1 on 1 help getting all the SP patch's applied, as 10, 12 do not run correctly right out of the box.

As I said TRS2006 requires none of this, and runs right out of the box, and has no complicated layers, but does not have multiplayer (which I doubt you will ever use anyway).

This is not necessary if he gets the most recent version of TS12. The current download version already is up to Build 61388, which is the latest build version for that product. TRS2006 ran but not well right of the box initially. You must've gotten SP1 version by then. Also why do you keep pushing something that's already a decade old? It had its day but it's now obsolete just like many software packages become after a decade.
 
It is a good, uncomplicated, learning tool for less than $ 12.71 (S&H included)
It runs on low end PC's, that have no video card
It comes ready to run with SP1 installed, up and running in 15 min
You can create a route very easily in TRS2006 ... and later on install the route into 09, 10, 12, and T:ANE

09, 10, 12, T:ANE require a $1000 PC, or greater, with a fast CPU, and a quality video card (not onboard dedicated graphics chips)

Some laptops such as the $ 1200 - $ 1700 HP DV7 (I-7) will not run 09, 10, 12, T:ANE well at all
 
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It is a good, uncomplicated, learning tool for less than $ 12.71 (S&H included)
It runs on low end PC's, that have no video card
It comes ready to run with SP1 installed, up and running in 15 min
You can create a route very easily in TRS2006 ... and later on install the route into 09, 10, 12, and T:ANE

There's nothing new to learn in TS12 than there is in TRS2006. The Content Manager works the same, actually more stable and better in many ways for instance, and the rest of Surveyor and so is exactly the same. In fact Surveyor is the same in T:ANE as well except that is much faster than any version I've used in the 12 years of Trainzing.

Yes, you can bring in routes and content into higher-versions, but that can be difficult for new users since the content needs to be repaired. Starting off with TS12 means that there is more content available that's already been updated, and no you won't need to scour the network looking for old stuff, downgrading config.txt files, fiddling with build-numbers and so on. It just imports without an issue.

If he were just starting out when TRS2009 first came out, I'd say go with TRS2006 at that time, but both of those versions are now way past their prime. It happens; it's part of getting old....
 
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